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Cragsmen
The Cragsmen are a massive conglomerate of smaller factions and even those without factions, just taking up the name of being a Crag. They are sailors, pirates, privateers, merchants, cultists, fugitives and ex-slaves. The name "Cragsmen" comes from the theory that Zamanthras, the Sea Mother, birthed all sea life from the crags formed in Starsong's crust under the ocean. Cragsmen literally means to be a man of these crags. There are four major factions but several smaller ones too. These are the Seasworn, the Deepwaters, the Slaveborn and the House of Splendour. The Seasworn are the largest group, serving as a mix of pirates, privateers and sellsails. Their role can be any mix of this or just doing common seafaring labour, but you can always tell a Seasworn from their many colourful tattoos. The Deepwaters are cultists from Corpsewater Coast. The Slaveborn are ex-slaves from Boletaria, warring against the Guild of Chains, a massive slaver organisation. The House of Splendour is a creed of merchants and traders, worshipping gold and trade rather than the ocean. History Membership To be a cragsmen takes no effort other than to believe your home is the open ocean, and to return to it as often as you can. The major factions within require some The Deepwaters require a cult-like attachment to the Deep Pantheon, while the Seasworn, Slaveborn and Splendour have trials or tests. Regions While all crags call the ocean home, there are several ports they can call a second home. Carthus contains Corpsewater Coast, the birthplace of the Deep Pantheon and where the Deepwaters make their home. Paradiso is common ground for all cragsmen as it doubles as a stop in a major trading route and a place to drink the night away. Relationships Ideals Zamanthras Zamanthras, the Sea Mother, is the one ocean to which all other oceans are mere facets of her personality, as every known sea are mere reflections of who she truly is. Zamanthras is believed to be the First God, existing before the Flayed God, and that is the most deserving of "worship." Zamanthras is an ancient, primordial god who is regarded as malevolent, tempestuous and wild. She cares nothing for humanity, but the Triton are believed to be her children. She is the embodiment of mercurial winds and uncertain fate. She is greedy and possessive of her creatures and what wealth comes to her domain, whether from deliberate offerings or from sunken ships. Her shrine can be found in all seaside towns. Traditions & Superstitions * Cragsmen, due to trusting their lives on it, have many superstitions about the sea and Zamanthras. * It is good luck to drink from the same glass, wineskin, flagon or horn when departing for the unknown. * It is good luck to have a Triton on board their ship. It is extremely bad luck if they’re a prisoner. * It is bad luck to refuse safety to a Triton. * Whistling encourages wind, but beckons a storm * Every magic caster needs someone watching them in a fight. * It is good luck to get tattoos of Azarus, the Earth God, so that he will wash you ashore should you fall overboard. The Sea Mother Zamanthras finds this disrespectful, so cragsmen must hide these tattoos. * Every port-town and coastal city has a shrine to Zamanthras. This is the last place a cragsman visits when leaving and the first place when they arrive. * The only time it’s okay to sing sea shanties on land is if the singer has a vial of seawater with them. * Cragsmen do not talk about the families or loved ones while at sea; this makes the Sea Mother jealous. * Cragsmen Seasworn keep track of great deeds by corresponding tattoos. * Every ship has a small animal that is special to the Sea Mother. This animal has first priority over all else. Should the animal die, the crew will follow. * You can always recognise a ship’s crew by their shanties. Dwarf and Orcs are slow and rhythmic, Elves and Tieflings are haunting, Dragonman and Triton are overlapping and maddening, Halfling and Gnome are bright and cheery, and humans are as wide and as varied as the sea. Category:Factions